Fishing reels are designed to have high speed gear ratios for pulling lures quickly through the water. However, such high speed drive systems may have insufficient power available to pull in a fish when a strike is made. Therefore, it would be desirable to be able to shift to a lower speed, higher power drive to fight or retrieve the fish. On the other hand, should the fish turn and run toward the fisherman, it would be of great advantage to be able to shift rapidly back to high speed drive to retrieve the line rapidly and prevent it from slackening. Since the fisherman is holding the fishing rod with one hand and turning the reel with the other, it is essential that all gear shifting be, not only rapid, but fully automatic.